Beet-harvester.



G. E. FAUCHER.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLscATloN FILED SEPT. 3o. 1913.

Ns Qi.

Patented Apr. 15,1919,

6 SHEETS*SHEET mz 'www firms co.. mima-1.1mm. msnmnmv, u c.

G. E. fAucHER.- BEET HARVESTER. APPLICATION FlLED SEPT. 3 0. 1913.

Patented Apr. 15,1919.A

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- NHRRIS PETERS C0.4 PHDYO'LHHD.. WASHING FON. D C, l

'6.12. FAucHEn. BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATIONv FILED SEPT. 30. |913.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- G. E. FAUCHER.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPucATloN man SEPT. so. |913.

1,300,362. Patented Apr. 15,1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- G. E. FAUCHER.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. so. Isla.

1,300,362. Patented Apr. 15,1919.

r 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- GfE. FAUCHEH.

am HARVESTER.

APPLICATION F|LED SEPT. 30 1913. 1,300,362. Patented Apr. 15,1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

@mr/MW GEORGE E. FAUCHER, OF BEEVILLE, TEXAS.

Bmw-HARVESTER.

Lacasse.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

Applicationled September 30, 1913. Serial o. 792,588.

T0 all whom t may concern: j

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. FAUCHJER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beeville, in the county-fof Bee and State of Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Beet-Harvester, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines adapted to pull the beets from the ground and sever the .tops from the bodies of the beets, leaving the latter in condition for the operations of extracting their contained sugar.

A. general object of the invention` is the provision of a machine adapted to successfully perform the functions of pulling the beets and of topping them under the varying conditions of their growth.

`A further object of the invention is the provision of means for separately delivering the tops and bodies of the beets in such a manner that they can readily be gathered and removed from the field.

Another object of the `invention is the provision of a machine of the character referred to in which all ofthe various operations'upon thefbeets can be constantly observed -by the machine operator from the position which he occupies in the operation of the machine.

The foregoing objects` and various others incidental or ancillary to them, as well as the manner in which they areattained, will be made clear by the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which, for the Vpurpose of illustration, I Ashow a vpreferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:Y

Figure l is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention. Y

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the machine as shown in Fig. 1, except that the chutes through which the bodies of the beets are delivered, and the carrier buckets into which the bodies of the beets land-the tops are discharged, from the deliveryr chutes, 'are omitted to permit illustration of other parts.

Fig. 3 4is a detail view Vshowing the soil loosening plow in front elevation.

Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the main or wheel vframe,.the auxiliary frame on which many of the working parts are mounted, the soil loosening plow and itsl .supporting frame, and the various devices for adjusting the said frames and parts in relation to each other, the auxiliary frame and plow frame being shown in the positions to which they are lifted when the machine is not in operation. f Fig. 5 is a plan View of the parts shown 1n Fig. 4. Fig.'6 is an enlarged line 6-76 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing some of the details of construction.

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing an inside elevation of one of the bearings supporting the 'shaft of the puller wheel.

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the adjustable mounting of one of the front wheels. Fig. 10 is a detail View showing Jthe adjustable mounting of the rear wheels and the pawl and ratchet connections between said wheels and the shaft or axle on which they are mounted.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 12 is an enlarged section'on the lin 12-12 of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view of one section taken on the of the'gripper arms and shoes of the puller wheel. r

Fig. 14 is a development of one of ther cams which actuates the gripper arms.

Fig. '15 is a section taken on the .line 15 15 of Fig.'2.

Fig. 16 4is a detail View showing the delivery chute for the beet tops and its supporting devices in vertical section.

Fig. 17 is a detail plan view of the endless chain conveyer which carries the beet tops from Vthe pullerwheel and delivers them into the discharge chute.

Fig. 18 is a section taken on the line 18- 18 of Fig. 17. Y,

Fig. 19 is a detail perspective view of the devices for automatically adjusting the cutters. Y

Fig. 20 is a central section through the gage wheels 94, 94, taken on the 'line V20-20 in Fig. 19.

` Referring in detail to the construction illustrated, l is a rectangular wheel frame supported at its rear endon driving wheels 2, 2, and at its front end on steeringwheels 3, 3. 4is a driving axle mounted in bearings w with the drive wheels.

n, rectangular 4 0- 5 carried by the side bars of the wheel frame 1, and on this axle the driving wheels 2, 2 are mounted. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, each of the drive wheels 2, 2 is mounted to turn freely upon the axle 4 but carries a pawl 6 which engages a ratchet wheel 7 carried by a flanged collar 8. This collar is made fast on the axle 4 by means of apin 9 and hence the forward rotation of the wheels is transmittedthrough the'pawls vand ratchet to drive the axle while the wheels are freeto turn in relation to each other. The drive wheel is held in operative relation with the flanged collar 8 by a collar 10 secured to the aXleby a pin 11. The axle at each end is formed with a series of perforations 12, 12 to receive the securing pins 9 and 11 so that the driving wheels can be adjusted inward and outward to adapt the machine for work on rows spaced at various distances.

The steering wheels 3,Y 3 are carried by a suitable fifth wheel structure, designated as an entirety by 13, and the front end ofthe wheel frame 1 is raised, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, to permit the front wheels to swing freely under the frame so that the machine can be turned in the smallest possible space. As shown in Fig. 9, the front wheel axle carries a series of spacing rings 14 and by moving these from the inner to the outer side of the hubs of the wheel-s 3, or vice versa, the latter can be adjusted inward or outward for the purpose referred to in connection The steering wheels can be provided withany suitable steering pole or tongue and any suitable draft devices; these I have not shown as any form of such devices can be employed. 15 is a auxiliary frame adjustably mounted on the wheel frame 1. As shown, the frame 15 has bearings 16 by which the rear end-of said frame is swingably supportedupon Jche driving axle 4. 17, 17 are grooved rollers mounted on the side bars of the frame 15 near the forward end of said frame, and the rollers rest upon cams 18, 18, which are slidably mounted in guides 19, 19, carried by the side bars of the wheel frame 1. 20 is a rock shaft mounted on the rear end of the wheel frame transversely thereof,

having at one end a hand lever 21 which' cooperates with the segmental locking rack 22 and at its other end a lever-arm 23 in angular alinement with the hand lever 21. Said hand lever 21 and lever arm 23 are connected by means of links 24, 24 with the slidaloly mounted cams 18, 18, and b-y shifting the r hand llever 21 the cams18 can be moved for- Y ward and backward to lower and raise the auxiliary frame 15.v

25 designates as an entirety a plowwliich is designed to pass under and on two sides of the beets so as to loosen the soil around them, and also to sever the tap roots of the beets. This plow comprises a main U- shaped part 26 and a po-int or share '27 detachably secured to the part-26. The two arms ofthe U-shaped part 26 are secured at their upper ends to castings 28, 28 which are slidably mounted upon longitudinal frame bars 29, 29. These latter bars are connected at their front ends by a transverse rod or bar 30y which has its ends slidably mounted in upright guides 31, 31 carried by the wheel frame. The ba-r 30 is adjustably supported in the upright guides 31 by links 32, 32 which are connected at their upper ends to crank arms 33, 33 carried by a transverse shaft 34. This latter shaft is rotatably mounted in bearings 35, 35 carried by the wheel frame 1, and on one end of Jdh-e shaft 34 is mounted a gear wheel 36. A rack 37 justed position. The lower end of the hand lever 41 is connected by a link 43 with the rack rod 39 so that the rack 37 can be moved forward and backward by shifting the `hand lever 41. It will loe seen that such movement of Lthe rack 37 rotates the gear 37 and causes the lowering and raising of the front end ofthe plow supporting frame.

T'hebars 29 of the plow frame are supported at their rear ends by links 44, 44 n which are connected at their upper ends to bell crank levers 45, 45 mounted on the frame 15. 46 is a rock shaft mounted transversely on the frame 15 carrying at one end arm 48. Said hand lever and lever arm are connected by links 49, 49 with the respectiveA bell crank levers 45 and by means of the hand lever 47 the rear end of the plow frame can, therefore, be raised and lowered. A locking rack 50 is formed for Jdhe hand lever 47 so that it can be secured in any desired position.

l VThe plow 25, which has been described,'is

Va hand lever 47 and at its other end a lever Y designed to loosen the soil around the beets sothat they can be pulled more easily. In connection with this plow I provide devices for grasping the beets, lifting or pulling them Vfrom the soil and moving them into engagement with devices wlhich sever the tops from the bodies. Referring now to the devices which grasp the beets and lift them from the ground, 51 is a supporting and driving shaft arranged transversely `of the frame 15 (see Fig. 6), and rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the side bars 15 and designated as entireties by 52, 52. Each of these bearings comprises a bottom section 53 rim parts 55a and these rim parts are formed with a series of radially extending slots '55h to receive ,a series of radially extending gripper arms 57, 57. The gripper arms 57 are mounted upon pivot pins 58 which are clamped between the peripheral parts of the disks 55 and detachable clips V59. On the outer ends of the arms 57 are pivotally mounted gripper shoes 60, 60. These shoes preferably have their inner adjacent faces serrated, as shown, and are provided with loops 61 which embrace the arms 57 so as to limit the pivotal movementof each shoe relative to its supporting arm. The arms 57 are made of spring ma-v terial, preferably spring steel, the inner ends of the arms preferably being of such shape and weight as to be rigid, while the outer ends are flattened sufficiently so that they Y' act as springs, the object being to press the grippers 60 yieldingly and resiliently together.

62, 62 are circular cams mounted on the drive shaft 51 but secured against rotation therewith. Each of these cams 62 is formed at its periphery with a groove 62a into which the inner ends of the gripper arms 57 project so that said arms are swung as the disks carrying'them turn with the shaft 51, the cams being's'o designed that the grippers 60' are moved toward each other as they swing downward and rearward, being pressed together as they reach a point approximately directly beneath the drive shaft 51, and being so held as they swing rearward and upward and then forward and lupward until they reach a point approximately directly above the driving shaft 51 whereupon they are moved apart and continue separated from each other until they approach the aforesaid pointapproximately directly beneath the drive shaft 51.

VThe mechanism, operating asV last described, is designed to grasp thetops of the beets as the puller wheel turns with the advance of the machine, lift the beets by their tops land swing them upward to a point' approximately directlyV above the drivefshaft 51 where they come into operative engagement with cutting devices which will presently be described. Itis important that the grippers 60 should close upon the beet tops at the right point in their travel and that they should be pressed together witha suitableforce great enough to insure the-firmV holding of the top but not so great as to crush the tops. To insure such a result, I' provide the following devices for adjusting and holding each of the cams 62.

63 is a lever which is formed with a ring 63EL to pass over the hub of the cam 62, being pivotally secured to said hub by pivot pins or trunnions 64, 64. The forward end of the lever 63 has a fulcrum support consisting of a bracket 65 which is secured to the side bar of the frameV 15 and w-hich is formed with an arcuate slot concentric with the drive shaft 51. Thus mounted, the lever 63 can be moved inward land outward to shift the cam 62 axially on the drive shaft 51, thus varying the force with which the grippers 60 are `pressed together as the puller wheel rotates, and said lever can also be swung upward and downward around the axis of the drive shaft 51, thus moving the cam angularlyabout the axis of the said shaft so asto shift the points at which the grippers are closed and opened, respectively'.

The following devices are provided for actuating the lever 63 and securing it in adjusted position. 66 is a nutV pivotally mounted in the forked endl of the lever 63, and 67 is a screw having threaded engagement with said nut and rotatably mounted in a support 68 which is Slidably mounted upon an arcuate bracket 69 carried by the frame 15. The screw 67 is provided with a hand wheel 67a and, being held against axial movement relative to the support 68, is adapted by its rotation to swing the lever 63 inward and outward and to hold it in any desired position. By sliding the support 68 upward and downward on -the bracket 69, the lever 63 can be correspondingly swung upward and downward, and can be secured in any desired position by means of'set screw 70.

rlhe left hand disk 55 of the puller wheel has formed on its periphery a sprocketwheel 71 which coperatesVv with and vis driven by a sprocket chain 72 that is in turn driven by a sprocket wheel 73 r0- tatably mounted on the driving axle 4. YA toothed clutch 74, operated by a hand lever 7 5, is interposed between f the sprocket wheel .73 and the driving axle 4 `and by means of it the driving gear can-readily be thrown into and out of operation. The ratio of the Vdiameters of the sprocket wheels 71 and 73 is such that the puller-wheel is driven at a peripheral speed suchY asit would have if it rolled on the ground. In other words, its peripheral speed is the same as that of the drive wheels 2.

lt will be observed, on referring to Fig. 2, that the soil loosening plow 25 is disposed directly beneath the center of the puller wheel, the relative arrangement of the plow and said wheel being such that the grippers 60 are causedto move together. and grasp the top of a beet just when the plow is about to begin to loosen the soil around the body iso of said beet. It is important that these two functions, i. e., thatl of grasping the top of the beet and that of loosening the soil around the beet so that it can be readily extracted from the soil, should be properly timed in relation to each other, for ifthe soil is loosened and disturbed before theVV tops are grasped by the puller wheel, it will be difficult ,01? impossible for the puller wheel to grasp the beets fairly so as best to pull them s as to insure that they be held in ya uniform manner inv relation to the cutters or topping devices vpresently to be described. As previously stated, the plow is adjustably mounted on the frame bars 29. Such mounting isprovided so that the plow can be adjusted forward and backward until an adjustment issecllled inthe case of any particular soil, such that the loosening of the soil is effected at the propertime in `relation to the grasping of the beet tops by the puller Wheel to facilitate the extracting of the beet without disturbingl itsposition prior to the graspingof thebeet tops by the grippers 60. To facilitate the adjustment of the plow, I provide screw -bolts 76, 76 having threaded engagement at their forward ends with the castings 28,28, and being supported at their rear ends in brackets 77, 77 carried by the frame bars 29, 29. The screws 76 are held against endwise movement by the brackets 77 sothat theplow 25 can readily be adjusted forward and backward by simply rotating the screws 76.

In connection with the adjustment of the plow forward and backward, it will be observed that the angular adjustment o-f the cams 62 in the manner here-infbefore described, varies the point at which the grippers in their movement are caused to grasp the beet tops that, therefore, the adjustment of the plow forward and backward and the angular adjustment of the cams must be made with regard to each other, in order to secure the vuniform, action upon the beets mentioned above. l

To facilitate and insure the entrance of the beet tops between the gripper-s 60 in such a manner that the latter can properly close upon them, I provide guide bars 78, 78.

These bars are secured at theirl forward ends to theplow frame bars 29 by means of rose plate clamping devices 79, 79, which permit the bars to be adjusted up and down around their front ends. vIt will be observed on reference to yFigs. 2, 4: and 5 that these bars are curved downward and inward from their front ends in such a manner as to lift and support the tops of the beets and hold them in an upright position at the points where the grippers 6() close upon them.

In connection with the puller wheel I provide mechanism and devices for severing the tops from the bodies of the beets and delivering the tops and beets separately from each other. This mechanism and these devices are mounted in part upon a framework which comprises frame castings 80, 80 which are mounted at their lower ends upon cylindrical bosses or extensions 53a, 53a of the bottom parts 5.3 of the drive shaft bearings 52. These frame castings 80 have forward extensions 80a, 80a which are rigidly connected by means of bars 81, v81 to an upright frame casting 82, The frame casting 82 is mounted at its lower end upon a transverse shaft 83 which is rotatably supported-in bearings 84, 84 carried by upright brackets 85, 85 mounted on the frame 15 (see Figs. 2,6 and 15). In the frame castings 80, 80 are rotatably mounted upright shafts 86, 86. On the upper ends of these shafts are mounted disk cutters 87, 87 These cutters are rotated' by the shafts but are free to rise and fallrelative to the shafts, the upper ends ofthe shafts being, in the construction shown, squared for this p-urpose. 881, 88are transmission shafts mounted in the castings 80, 8O at right angles to the shafts 86, and by' means of bevel gears 89 and 90 these shafts Y are operatively connected to the shafts 86 and by means of spur gears 91 and 92 are connected to the main drive shaft 51 so that the rotation of the latter is transmitted to the upright cutter shafts ,86.

It will be understod that inthe operation of the machine the puller wheel as it rotates carries the beets which it has extracted from the soil'upward and forward into engagement with the cutters 87 87 so that the upstanding body of the beet is severed from the crown and the tops proper which are grasped by the grippers 60 of the wheel. As the puller wheelthus carries lthe ybeets upward to the cutters, it continues to firmly hold the beet tops 'as 'they were initially f grasped and, inasmuch as the loosening of the soil is timed so as to insure the uniform grasping of the tops while the `beets are still standing in their upright position of growth, it will be seen that a uniform presentation of the beets to the cutters is also insured.

It will be understood that the crown part matically by means of the following devices.

YI effect this adjustment of the cutters auto- 93 designates as-an' entirety a movable frame having side arms which are pivoted' at their front ends on depending lugs 81a, 81a,

the cutters 87. These gage wheels are mounted upon spindles 95, 95 which are secured in slots 93b so that the wheels can be adjusted forward and backward. 96, 96 are arms pivoted at 97, 97 to the frame 93 and adjustably secured in relation thereto by screws 98, 98 which have a rotary, nonreciprocating engagement with the arms 96 and a suitable threaded connection with the frame- 93. At their forward ends the arms 96 are forked and pivotally connected to rings 99, 99 which slidably engage grooves in the hubs of the disk cutters 87, 87. Each of the side arms of the frame 93 carries an upstanding rod 100 which passes loosely through a guide lug formed on an inverted U-shaped frame 101 which is mounted on the frame castings 80, 80. 102, 102 are springs interposed between the said guide lugs and adjustable nuts 103, 103 on the upper ends of the rods 100. These springs serve to draw the frame 93 upward :so that the gage wheels 94 will always press yieldingly against the crowns of the beets. By suitably adjusting the wheels 94, the arms 96 and thetension of the springs 102, the cutters 87 can be caused. to automatically take a suitable position for severing the beets as the latter come successively into engagement with the gage wheels 94. i

' Vlhen the bodies of the beets havebeen severed from the tops, they are supported on vthe cutter disks and carried forward by the rotation of said disks and discharged from the front peripheries thereof. VIn front of the cutters 81 are downwardly and laterally inclined `chutes 104, 104 which are fixedly supported on the frame parts. These chutes are designed to receive the bodies of the beets discharged from the cutters and deliver them into carrier lbuckets 105, 105. 106, 106 are upright curved defiectorplates which insure the discharge of the beet bodies from the fronts of the cutters 87, and 107 Vis a deflector gate mounted on a pivot Y 108 nearits forward end and adapted to have its rear end swung so as to direct the severed beets into the right hand chute 104 or into the left hand chute 104, it being understood that it is desirable to deliver the beets from the side of the machinetoward the harvested part of the field. The gate 107 is provided with a rearwardly extending hand vlever 109 by means of which it can be swung, and thisy lever can be secured in adjusted position by toothed segments 110, 110 mounted on the U-shaped frame 101.

The buckets 105, 105 are rotatably mounted on longitudinal shafts 111, 111, these shafts being rotatably supported in brackets 112, 112 carried by the wheel frame 1. Tubular shafts 113, 113 are mounted on the rear parts of the shafts 111 and each of these tubular shafts is connected at its forward end to one of the 'buckets 105 and at its rearward end carries a hand lever 114 by which it can be turned so as to tip the bucket 105 and discharge the beets. The buckets 105 are so shaped and mounted that the weight o-f the beets tends to hold them in their normal position.

115, 115 are gates each consisting of a series of fingers 115a carried by a shaft 115b which is pivotally mounted in the sides of chute 104. Each of the shafts 115b carries at its rear end a lever arm 116 which has its free end connected by a link 117 with the adjacent bucket 105. The arrangement is such that when the bucket 105 is tipped to discharge the beets, the gate fingers 115a are turned downward to close the chute and preventv the passage of beets until the bucket has been returned to normal position. To accomplish the suitable handling and delivery of the severed tops and beet crowns when .they are released from the puller wheel, I provide the following devices. 118, 118 are endless conveyer chains which pass at the front end of their pathsover drive sprockets 119, 119 and at the rear endsof their paths over idler sprockets 120, 120. The idler sprockets 120 are mounted on the frame castings 80, 80, and the drive sprockets 119, 119 are mounted on upright shafts 121, 121 which are rotatably supported in thefframe casting 82. The shafts 121, 121 carry bevel gears 122, 122 at their lower ends which mesh with bevel rgears'123, 123 carried by the transverse shaft 83 (see Fig. 15). This shaft carries at'its left end a bevel gear 124 which meshes with a similar gear 125 on a longitudinal shaft 126 which is suitably mounted in bearings carried .by the auxiliary frame15. At its rear end this shaft 126 carries a bevel pinion 127 which meshes with bevel gear teeth 128 formed on the adjacent gear wheel 92 (see Figs. 1, 6 and 12). By means of these connections the conveyer sprockets 11.9 are driven from the main drive shaft 51 which carries the gear 92.

The inner adjacent runs of the conveyer chains 118 are supported and guided between plates 129, 129 secured to the frame bars 81, 81. In the case of the left hand conveyer chain, the inner edge of the frame bar 81 forms a backing for the inner run of the chain while, in the case of the right hand conveyer chain, a separate backing Strip 13() Ais provided @11d this pressed By pulling on the right handlsection yieldingly inward by a series of springs dseignated by the numeral 130a (see Fig. 1

The conveyer chains v118` are arranged in relation to the puller wheel in such manner that they receive and grip the tops of the beets as the latter are released from the grippers of the puller wheel. The springs 130a press one of the convey'er chains yieldingly toward the other and insure a firm grip upon the tops while the teeth or fingers of the conveyer chains insure the forward movement of the tops with the chains. As the tops arrive at the front ends of the flights of the conveyer chains they are discharged upon one of two delivery chutes 131, 131.

The two. chutes last referred to extend,

downward and laterally, one to one side of the machine and the other to the other side of the machine. They join at their inner ends and form a unitary structure which is movable as an entirety laterally of the machine so that the tops can be discharged from the chain conveyers either into the rigl'it hand chute or the left hand chute. In Fig. 1 the chutes are shown shifted to the left so that thetopsareV delivered into the right handY chute. The chutes' proper are supported by upright frames 132, 132 which are carried by a base plate 133, and by brace bars 134,134 which extend from the lower partsof the chutes to theA upright frames l132, 132. The base plate 133 is slidably supportedk in channel bars 135, 135 securedyto the frame 15. A rope 136` is secured intermediate its ends tothe base plate 133 `or other part of the chute struct-ure, and has each of its two ends extended ylaterally over a guide 137 carried by one of the brackets 85, thencev rearward and over a guide 138 carried bythe frame casting 80 to-a fastening post 139 on the rear end of the frame 15. y y of the rope 136, the operator can shift thechutes 131 to the right, and by paring on the lea hand section of the rope, said chutes. can be shiftedrto the left. f Y

The chutes 131 are designed and. arranged to deliver the beet tops into buckets 140,` 140 which are mounted, one at each side of the machine, onthe shafts 111, 111 so as to turn therewith. The shafts 111, 111 have lever arms 141, 141 at their rear ends by which they can be turned to dump theY buckets 11o, 14o. Y

142, 142are gates arranged to control the chutes 131, 131. Each of these gates consists of a series of fingers 142a carried by a shaft 142b rotatably mounted in a laterally extending bracket 143 which is mounted on the upright bracket 85. A l'ever arm vis secured to the rear end of the shaft 142b` and has its free end connected by link 145 with the adjacent bucket 140. When the latter is tipped to dump and discharge the beet tops, the gate 142 is simultaneously closed (see Fig. 15) so as to prevent discharge of beet' tops from the chute 131 until the bucket is returned to its normal position.

The auxiliary frame 15 is provided at its rear end with a platform 146 and onfthis platform is mounted a seat 147 for the operator of the machine. The wheel frame is provided at its front end with a platform 148 and on this platform is mounted a seat 149 for the driver.

The operation of my improved harvester will now be readily understood. As the machine enters the field, the auxiliary frame 15 and the plow 25 are in their uppermost positions, as indicated in Fig. 4, so that all of the/working arts ar'eJ free of the ground and the clutch '7)4 is, of course, disengaged. On arriving at the rst row to be worked, the operator first sets the defiector gate 107 and the chutes 131 so that the beet bodies and tops will be discharged to one side or the other according to the circumstances of the case. Let it be assumed that these parts are set, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to discharge the beet bodies and tops on the right side of the machine. Next, the operator lowers the front end ofthe plow frame by throwing the ihand lever 41 rearward thereby pitching the plow frame downward so that it will readily take into the soil. Then, as the machine advances, he lowers the rear end of the plow frame by swinging the lever 47 f i forward. The plow having been set at a suitable depth, the operator throws the hand lever 21 forward so asto move the cams 18 forward vand lower the fram'el'which carp ries the puller lwheel and cutters. 'The clutch 74 is 'thereupon thrown into engagement thus causing the rotation of the puller wheel andA of the cutters, and the driving of the'ch'ain conveye'rs. 'v

As the machine advances the guide bars 78 serve to lift and guide the topsof the beets so that theyA are directed between the grippers 60 of the puller wheel permitting the latter to close upon the tops and grip them rmly. Just as the grippers are closing upon rthe tops of the. beet, the plow l25 is beginning to pass under the beet, and, having first 'severed the tap root, the share 27 and the cross connecting part to which it is secured being inclined upwardly and rearwardly,- serve to lift and'loosen the soil so that the beet is readily extracted from the soil as it is drawn upward by the rotation of the puller wheel. y y

The grippers 60 are held in firm engagement with the beet tops by the cams 62, 62 vas the beet movesupward and rearward and then vupward and forward. As the beet approaches the highest point of theY puller. v

wheel, it moves in inverted position into engagement with the gage wheels 94 which ride upon the crown of the beet and cause the disk cutters 87, 87 to be adjusted to a Y suitable height for severing the tops and crown from the Vbody of the beet. The sev ered body of the beet is carried forward by the rotation of the cutters and discharged into the right hand chute 104 which in turn delivers it into the right hand bucket 105. On reference to Fig 2 it will be noted that the disk cutters incline forward somewhat and this facilitates the forward discharge of the beet bodies into the chute 104.

While the body of the beet is being discharged from the cutters, the tops thereof are being grasped by the conveyer chains 118, 118, and simultaneously the cams 62, 62 begin to separate the grippers 60 so that the tops are free to move forward between the conveyer chains. 'Ihe tops are discharged from said chains upon the right hand chute 131, which, in turn, delivers the tops into the right hand bucket 140. As the rotation of the puller wheel continues, the grippers are held apart by the cams during the movement of the grippers downward and forward, and then downward and rearward until they approach the lowest point of the wheel whereupon the cams begin again to press them together inthe manner previously described. Thus, the operation of loosening the soil, grasping the beets, lifting them, moving them upward into engagement with the cutters, severing the tops from the bodies, and delivering the severedl bodies and tops separately into carrier buckets, goes on continuously as the machine advances. Y

Asthe operation of the machine begins, the machine operator will be able to observe thev manner in which the 'machine isper-V forming its various functions Y and can quickly make any adjustment of the parts that may be desirable. For example, he may observe that the grippers do not close upon the beets at quite the right point in the movement of the wheel and, in that case, he will make aV suitable angular adjustment of the cams 62, 62. Or he may find that the action of the plow in loosening the soil around the.

beet is alittle too early or a little vtoo late for a proper coperation with the puller wheel. In such case he will proceed to adjust the plow forward or backward as the case may be by means of the devices provided for that purpose. Again, the operator may find that the grippers press the beet tops too hard, or, on the other hand, that they do not press the tops hard enough to hold them firmly; whereupon he can, by means of the hand wheels 67a, adjust the cams 62 inward or outward to secure the desired action of the grippers. Again, the

operator may find that the gage wheels 94 need adjustment forward or backward, or that the arms 96 need adjustment upward or downward to secure a proper gaging of the cutters.

These various adjustments, having once been made to meet the conditions of the soil and the character of the beets, will need little change as the work proceeds.

VThe buckets 105 and 140 will gradually fill with the beet bodies and tops, respectively, as the machine advances and, when they have filled, the machine operator can readily dump them by throwing the hand levers 114, 141, respectively. And it will be understood that as the machine works back and forth across the field, the beets and tops can be dropped in rows so as to facilitate the gathering of them.

When the machine reach-es the en'd of the row, the operator will first lift the frame 15, then elevate the front end of the p-lro-w'frame, and next Lthe rear end thereof, so as to bring the working parts clear of the Aground fand permit the driver to turn the machine upon the next row. While the rdriver is bringing the machine arounid on the next row, the 'operator shifts the deflect-'or gate 107V to the yright so that the beets will be discharged into the left chute 104, and also shifts the chutes 131 to the right so that the lbeet tops will be discharged into the left hand chute, thus securing the delivery of the beets on the side of the machine away from the unharvested .part of the field. As the machine `enter-s the next row,

the operator lowers the plow, and the frame 15 which carries the puller wheel land yother parts in the manner previously described, yand the fw-Ork proceeds as before.

It will be observed' that practically all arrangedsoil loosener and between these parts andi the topping devices, arev not dependent, in their broadest aspect, uzp-on the use of a puller of the'top-grasping type. Therefore in some olf the claims which follow, I describe the pulling Ymeans in terms that can appropriately be applied to devices adapted to grasp :any pa-rt of the beet.

In describing my improved harvesting machine, I refer to it as -a beet harvester because it is especially adapted for the har-y 7 ing means.

vesting of beets, but, inasmuch as some, at least, of my improvements may be found useful in connection with machines for harvesting other vegetables, I do not limit my invention to beet harvesters.

What I claim Vis.:--

1. In a beet harvester, the'combination with a wheel supported frame, of means for grasping the beets and pulling them out of the soil, and means for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the beet and by the time it has begun to pull the beet.

2. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of means for grasping the beet tops and -fpulling the beets out of thesoil, and means for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed yand arranged to begin the Iloosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the tops of said beet and by the time it has begini to pull the beet.

3. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, ofr means for graspingthe beet tops Iand pulling the v beets 'out of th'esoil, andl a plow for loosening the soil around the beets which is con strucrted and arranged Ato begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the tops thereof and by the time it has begun to pull the beet, said plow being adjustable forward andbackrward relative to the pull- 4, In a beet harvester, *the combination witha wheel supported frame, ofmeans for grasping the beet tops and pulling the b-eets out of the soil, a plow for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed and arranged to begin the looseningy of the soil around each beet after thel first" named meansxha's grasped the tops thereof land byv the time vit has begun to pull the beet, and manualdevices for adjusting the plow forwvlard Iand backward relative to the pulling y means.

out 'of the soil, means for `guiding the beetV tops to said grasping and pulling means, andf a plow for loosening the soil around the beets iwhich is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the tops thereof and by the time it has begun to pull the beet.

6. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of means for grasping the beet tops and pulling the beets out of the soil, means for loosening the soil around the beets rwhi-ch is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has ygrasped the tops thereof and by theY time'ithas begun to pull the beet, and means for severing the bodies from the tops of the beets while they are still held as inie tially grasped by thesaid pulling means.

7. In la beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported* frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series of gripper arms, relatively stationary endless cams for closing and opening the'outer ends of opposite arms of the puller wheel to successively grasp and release the tops of the beets, and means for augularly adjusting the cams to vary the times of the closing and opening of the gripper arms.

8. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series'o-f gripper arms, relatively stationary endless cams for closing and opening the outer ends of opposite arms of the puller wheel to successively grasp and release the tops of the beets, a plow beneath the puller wheel for loosening the soil around each beet while it is being'pulled, and means for angularly adjusting the cams to vary the times of the closing and opening of the gripper arms.

9. In a beet harvester, the combination with 'a Vwheel supported frame, of a rotary puller lwheel having two opposed series of gripper arms, relatively stationary endless cams for closing and opening the outer ends of opposite arms of the Vpuller wheel to successively grasp and release the tops of the beets, a plow beneath the puller wheel for loosening-the soil around each beet while it is being pulled, means for adjusting said plow forward and backward relative, to the puller wheels, andmeans for angularly adjusting the cams to vary the times of the closing and opening of the gripper arms.

10. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series of radially arranged gripper arms, plate-like gripper shoes pivotally mounted on the outer ends of said arms, and means for swingingrsaid gripper arms toward and from each other to cause the gripper shoes to successively grasp and release the beet tops as the wheely turns. l u

1l. In a beet harvester, the combination with'a wheel supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series ofV radially arranged gripper arms, plate-like gripper shoes pivotally mounted on the outer with a wheel supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series of resilient radially arranged gripper arms, plate-like gripper shoes pivotally mounted on the outer ends of said arms, and' means for swinging said gripper arms toward and from each other to cause the gripper' ,shoes successively to yieldingly grasp and to release the beet tops as the wheel turns.

13. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheelY supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series of resilient radially arranged gripper arms, plate-like gripper shoes pivotally mounted on the outer ends of said arms, means for limiting the pivotal movement of the gripper shoes relative to the arms, and means for swinging said gripper arms toward and from each other to cause the gripper shoes successively to yieldingly grasp and to release the beet tops as the wheel turns.

14. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported iframe, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series of radially arranged gripper arms, plate-like gripper shoes pivotally mounted on the outer ends of said arms, two circular cams for swinging the gripper arms toward and from each other to cause the gripper shoes to successively grasp and release the beet tops as the wheel turns, and means for varying the distance between the two cams to vary the pressure with which the gripper shoes grasp the beet tops. f

15. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of means for grasping the beets and pulling them out of the soil, means for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the beet and by the time it has began to pull the beet, and means for severing the bodies from the tops of the beets while they are still held as initially grasped by the said pulling means.

16. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported trame, of means for grasping the beet tops and pulling the beets out of the soil, a plow for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the tops thereof and by the time it has begun to pull the beet, said plow being adjustable forward and backward relative to the pulling means, and means for severing the bodies from the tops of the beets while they are still held as initially grasped by the said pulling means.

17. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported trame, of means tor grasping the beet tops and pulling the beets out of the soil, a plow for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the first named means has grasped the tops thereof and by thetimc it has begun to pull the beet, manual devices for adjusting the plow forward and backward relative to the pulling means, and

means for severing the bodies from the tops or" the beets while they are still held as inil tially grasped by the said pulling means.

18. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of means for grasping the beet tops and pulling the beets out oi the soil, means for guiding the beet tops to said grasping and pulling means, a plow for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the tops thereof and by the time it has begun to pull the beet, and means for severing the bodies from the tops of the beets while they are still held as initially grasped by the said pulling means.

19. In a beet harvester, the combinationl with a wheel supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series of gripper arms, relatively stationary endless cams for closing and opening the outer ends of opposite arms of the pullerwheel to successively grasp and release the tops of the' beets, a plow beneath the puller wheel for 20. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel having two opposed series of gripper arms, relatively stationary endless cams ior closing and opening the outer ends of opposite arms of the puller wheel to successively grasp and release the tops of the beets, a plow beneath the puller wheels for loosening the soil around each beet while it is being pulled, means for adjusting said plow forward and backward relative to the puller wheel, means for angularly adjusting the cams to vary the times of the closing and opening of the gripper arms, and means for severing the bodies from the tops of the beets while they are still held as initially grasped by the puller wheel.

21. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported trame, of means for grasping the beets and pulling them out ot the soil, means for loosening the soil around the beets which is constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the tops thereof and by the time it has begun to pull the beet, means for severing the bodies from the tops of thebeets 'while they are still held as initially grasped tive to the bodies of the beets as the latter are presented to the severing means.

22. In a beet harvester, the combination with a Wheel supported frame, of means for grasping the beets and pulling them from the soil, a plow for loosening the'soil around the beets constructed and arranged to lbegin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the pulling means has grasped the beet and by the time it has begun to pull the beet, and means for lowering and raising the plow to and from operative position comprising means for swinging it around a transverse axis close to it to incline it upward and downward, and means for swinging it around a transverse axis relatively distant from it to bodily raise and lower it.

23. In a beet harvester, the combination with a wheel supported frame, of means for grasping'the beets and pulling them from the soil, a plow for loosening the soil around the beets Constructed and arranged to begin the loosening of the soil around each beet after the said pulling means has grasped the beet and by the time it has begun to pull Copies of this patent maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

the beet, an elongated supporting frame for the plow extending longitudinally of the machine, the plow being mounted on the rear part of said frame, means for raising and lowering the front end of the supporting frame, and means for raising and lowering the rear end of said frame.

24. In a beet harvester, the Combination with a wheel supported frame, of a rotary puller wheel carrying devices adapted to grasp the beets and pull them from the soil, a plow for loosening the soil around the beets arranged directly beneath the puller wheel, an elongated supporting frame for the plow extending longitudinally of the machine and comprising side bars disposed one on each side of the puller wheel, the plow being mounted on the rear part of said frame, means for raising and lowering the front end of the supporting frame, and

means for raising and lowering the rear end Washington, D. C. 

